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New England

Whoa Ed, pollinating tomatoes? That seems like a lot of work. Is it necessary for good pollination or are bees fine? Obviously there is more control but is there more than that?

4/16/2026 8:56:41 PM

Grittyville, WA

Like pumpkins yes the bees could do it (if they're not all dead due to imidacloprid.) There's a couple differences the main difference is that tomato blossoms open downwards. Usually have to gently invert the flower (and for a controlled cross, remove the male parts ahead of time). Then it's a bit more like pollinating a pumpkin. Still not exactly the same, because the pollen needs to be vibrated on rather than brushed on... But if you can do a pumpkin then with some practice you can also do a tomato.

[Last edit: 04/17/26 12:17:50 AM]

4/17/2026 12:14:41 AM

New England

Should I be using merit or do you have a gripe with it, I'm not sure lol I have plenty of the bees near me. Strangely a massive bird reduction, neighbors pointed it out. Ok so the bees would vibrate flower but if I was to pollinate I would need to vibrate male pollen onto female flower?

4/17/2026 2:21:03 AM

Grittyville, WA

I don't use imidacloprid I usually have some honeybees. This is interesting: https://www.audubon.org/news/two-widely-used-pesticides-found-disorient-and-sicken-migrating-songbirds

Yep, vibrate the pollen donor onto the female. They are all bisexual so technically can't call them male, but the male part is what's being used. So I call the donor flowers 'male' although they are actually also female.

[Last edit: 04/17/26 8:02:13 AM]

4/17/2026 7:44:36 AM

New England

Interesting article thanks

4/17/2026 12:12:23 PM